Charlie Parer, 23, from Battersea, suddenly lost sensation in his left leg, which became progressively numb and sore in the coming days. “I’d just completed my first marathon at The Great Ocean Road in Australia, and doctors believe the race may have spurred on the attack,” he says.
MS is a life-long, incurable disease of the central nervous system. The immune system mistakenly attacks the covers of the body’s nerves, and this can cause a range of debilitating symptoms, including cognitive issues, fatigue, mobility problems, bladder and bowel issues, and pain.
While being struck down with such a shocking diagnosis may understandably make someone take things easier, Charlie did the exact opposite. “I was told that I shouldn’t be doing long strenuous activities, but I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do to prove that they can be done, and while MS has its challenges, you can still achieve these things,” he says. “It made perfect sense to me to partner with a charity helping people who also live with MS to achieve their goals and get the help they need to live the best life possible, despite the challenges.” Charlie has chosen to run for MS-UK, the national charity that aims to do just that.
Training for the 26.2 mile race, which takes place on Sunday 27 April, can be challenging with a chronic condition such as MS. Charlie has to manage his practice around flare-ups and pay attention to his body: “I have to ensure I do it in a way that doesn’t aggravate my symptoms. I train in the mornings to help manage my fatigue, and I’ve definitely had my challenges including problems with both my legs straining due to my MS. I also have a bit less stability now, and hand coordination.
“I’ve been doing physio with an MS specialist who has been helping me work on key things to make sure I'm in the best condition.”
Despite his diagnosis, Charlie is confident and motivated, and can’t wait for the big day: “Running the marathon is going to be easy, the feeling of crossing that finish line is my greatest motivation and cannot wait to celebrate the day and help out MS-UK!”
Charlie’s fundraising page is https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/charlieparer
Find out more about MS-UK at https://ms-uk.org/